When Cuiling returned to report, she made a special trip to the kitchen and asked them to personally deliver breakfast to the north room.
When Fourth Master entered the north room, he saw Madam Nian supporting Bai Zhi's arm as they walked around the room. He said, "You've only been here for a little over a month, there's no need to be so careful. Don't be too nervous, just act like usual."
When Lady Nian saw that the Fourth Master had indeed arrived, she happily went up to greet him and curtsied to him.
"I told you not to bow anymore, so please stop," Fourth Master said, helping Nian Shi up.
"I'm just happy, I'm happy to see you, sir. I've forgotten all the kindness you've shown me," Lady Nian said with a charming smile.
"Let's have lunch. I have other things to do later, so I can't have lunch with you." Fourth Master turned and took Nian's hand, leading her to sit on the main couch.
Breakfast was the same as what Lady Nian had always eaten. The breakfast for the Fourth Master was specially ordered by Su Peisheng, and it was prepared by Lanqin for the Fourth Master in the past, with almost no repetition every day.
Looking at the yellow millet porridge, Fourth Master couldn't help but recall the breakfast that Lanqin had prepared for everyone at the villa.
The Nian family's breakfast consisted of black rice and red date porridge, along with several side dishes, spring rolls, and pancakes. The Fourth Prince looked at the food but had no appetite; he only ate the millet porridge, then a basket of steamed dumplings, and that was it.
"I still have to go and discuss matters with my thirteenth brother. If you want anything to eat, just tell them to make it. Madam Geng is gentle; go and talk to her and keep her company. I might not be able to look after you much," the Fourth Master said.
When Cui Ling heard Fourth Master mention Geng Shi, her eyelids twitched, and she couldn't help but glance at Nian Shi. She saw that Nian Shi looked slightly resentful, but she immediately put on a smile as beautiful as spring flowers and said, "Alright, I often go and chat with Sister Geng. Her needlework is really good. I'll go and ask her for some baby bibs."
Fourth Master laughed and said, "She won't mind. Take good care of yourself. I'm leaving now!"
Seeing that the Fourth Master was about to leave, Lady Nian immediately saw him off to the door and watched him walk out of the inner courtyard before turning around.
“Master, this north room is much bigger than the west room. You can move around more freely in this room.” Cui Ling was still conflicted about whether or not to tell Nian Shi that the Fourth Master had stayed in Geng Shi’s room last night.
"No, let's go visit each other. To be honest, I haven't even checked out the east room yet. Cuiling, take some of the fruit and snacks you bought outside and go check on them." Nian Shi felt uncomfortable whenever Fourth Master mentioned Geng Shi's gentleness.
“Master, what’s so great about seeing Lady Geng? She’s inferior to the princess in every way,” Cui Ling flattered.
“But didn’t Master say she’s gentle? Why don’t we go and see for ourselves how gentle she is!” Madam Nian said proudly.
Seeing that she couldn't stop her, Cui Ling had no choice but to take a palace fan and have Bi Rou carry some fruit and snacks that she had bought outside.
The three of them, master and servant, left the north room and headed towards the Geng family's house along the corridor beneath it.
Madam Geng already knew about the conversation between Lülan and Cuiling, but only symbolically reprimanded Lülan for meddling and did not reprimand her further. The Fourth Prince had shown her favor last night, and his attitude towards her had clearly improved, which was obviously due to Madam Nian's repeated inappropriate behavior.
"Oh, is Sister Geng here? Your younger sister has come to bother you." As soon as Nian walked to the door, she saw that Geng was sitting in the main room.
Geng instinctively stood up and saw Nian standing at the door with a smile on her face and her two maids.
"Sister Nian, come in quickly, come in quickly." Madam Geng quickly showed a surprised smile and stepped forward to greet Nian.
“Sister, this room is so refreshing, much cooler than the west room where I used to live.” Nian Shi helped Cui Ling step through the doorway, and followed Geng Shi slowly to the guest seat in the main room.
“My sister is now living in the north room, which must be much cooler. She is so lucky to have gotten pregnant so soon after leaving home,” Madam Geng said with a smile.
Green Lan had already brought out two cups of tea. She placed one cup on the table in front of Madam Nian before offering the other cup to Madam Geng.
Seeing Lülan's submissive demeanor before Madam Nian, and recalling Lülan's quick wit when she argued with her in the kitchen, Cuiling felt resentful and said, "Reporting to Lady Geng, our mistress is currently pregnant, and ordinary tea makes her feel nauseous. May I ask what kind of tea Sister Lülan brewed for our mistress?"
Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Nian's beautiful lips, but she did not stop Cui Ling from speaking.
Green Lan and Madam Geng exchanged a glance, and then Madam Geng said, "Oh dear, I don't have as many good things here as Sister Nian. It's just ordinary Longjing tea. I don't know if Sister Nian can get used to it."
Upon hearing this, Madam Nian chuckled and said, "Oh dear, Cuiling, you silly girl, it's just a little tea. It's no big deal for me to drink it casually. Sister, please don't take offense, I've spoiled this girl rotten."
Madam Geng smiled nonchalantly and said, "My sister is beautiful and blessed; even the maids around her are so pretty."
Madam Nian smiled smugly and said, "I heard that you are good at needlework, so I told my master that I would like to ask you for a few children's bibs. I wonder if that would be possible?"
Green Lan paused, glared angrily at Nian Shi, then lowered her head to watch her mistress being treated so disrespectfully by Nian Shi. She felt indignant but dared not speak out. Nian Shi had praised Geng Shi's needlework skills in front of the Fourth Prince and then asked for a few undergarments. This was clearly treating Geng Shi like a servant, and the key point was that the Fourth Prince had actually agreed.
"That's easy. I have nothing better to do than make a few children's bibs for my sister. I wonder what pattern she likes?" Geng said calmly.
"Then thank you very much, little sister. Children should just have something auspicious, like a gold ingot, a big fat fish, a big dragon boat, or a little cloth tiger," Nian said with a charming smile.
“Alright, my little sister is not even two months old yet, that’s plenty of time to make a few things.” Geng said with a smile.
Green Orchid couldn't bear to look any longer and suddenly said, "Master, one of the master's undergarments was left here last night. Should we ask Nian Gege to take it back to the north room?"
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Cuiling immediately lowered her head in a panic. Madam Nian's expression changed, and she said, "Master's clothes? When did Master spend the night at my sister's place?"
Geng glanced at Lülan casually and chuckled, "After you went back yesterday, my brother must have been tired during the day, so he came here to get a massage and rested here."
Ms. Nian felt a wave of nausea rising up. She didn't have a good appetite to begin with, and she had barely managed to eat a little bit with the Fourth Master. Now, she suddenly felt nauseous and vomited with a loud "whoosh".
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